Qualifications
by Sailor's Wife
Summary: Sort of SG-1 Crossover.  John on Earth for some mandated 'vacation' He joins Sam and SG1 for a little fun on earth and offworld.  Mostly friendhip, could be seen as preship and may become pre-ship in later chapters.  Rated T for mild profanity.
1. Chapter 1

Friendship Fic, could be seen as a little pre-ship between John/Sam. Set on Earth in the Colorado Springs area. I apologize up front if distances or whatnot seem a little off. I'm not terribly familiar with the area. I've been there a few times but only to visit my husband's family. In my defense I did ask him if there was enough time to get from point A to point B to point C in the time I had allotted and he said yes.

Set, probably Season 3 sometime.

**Qualifications**

Chapter 1

The gate disengaged as John Sheppard stepped down the gate ramp and into the bowels of Chyennne Mountain.

He was on leave, well, sort of. He came back because the two galaxies were for the moment cooperative and quiet. He had decided to renew his qualifications on Helo's and F-14's as his existing quals were set to expire very soon. Why? He couldn't really give you an answer. John currently flew much cooler machines, but still felt the need to keep up with most of his previous machines. One just never knew when this galaxy or the next was going to turn against you and he'd be back on Earth with nothing to fly. He even pondered renewing his sea trap quals, but that would require pulling too many strings. He had to pull quite a few just to get the initial qualifications since he was an Air Force Pilot not Navy, but he did it just because he found it fascinating and an experience he just couldn't pass up.

John wasn't due at Peterson AFB for a few hours, a perfect chance for a leisurely ride. He kept his motorcycle at a vehicle storage unit not far from base.

…..

John wasn't all that familiar with Colorado Springs having only been there a couple weeks before shipping off to Atlantis. Any Earth side time had been spent visiting Ford's family or dealing with the IOA and such. He never really had any time to just enjoy Earth. Then again, he was truly happy and content in Atlantis. He may not be able to ride his bike, but Atlantis was most defiantly _home_! He had never felt like he belonged anywhere, not at home, not at school and not even duty stations since joining the Air Force, until Atlantis. He finally had a home and the family he _belonged_ to.

He hadn't gone far when he saw signs denoting how far landmarks were in a good many directions. Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods were in one direction, and it sounded fascinating so he started off in that directions.

Downtown Manitou Springs... Parking was a bitch. Some event or another was being held and it was difficult to find space for even a bike! He drove by a fountain with a placard next to it, denoting it as a historical site. Standing at the fountain was a slender blonde dressed in leather, helmet under one arm, letting the mineral rich water run through the fingers of the other. He couldn't get a look at her face but he swore she was familiar!

Finally finding a place to park, he dismounted his bike and searched the area he had seen her with his eyes as he took off his helmet. She was no longer there, but his curiosity was peaked and he was determined to find her.

He ran his hand thru his spiky hair just as she rode past on a bike of her own. He quickly donned his helmet and hopped back onto his bike.

Several cars were now between him and the mystery woman but he was able to keep track of her as they wound their way in and out of traffic leaving the area.

They headed out of the city towards Woodland Park. It was quite a ride through Yute Pass. It was relaxing and thrilling at the same time. It was easy to get lost in the scenery and the feel of the bike beneath him swaying with the turns. It was mid-summer and the weather at any time of year was unpredictable, but for the moment it was warm and sunny, the air rushing around him cooling him as it found the entry points in his leather jacket. So sweet was the ride that he had forgotten all about his quest to identify the mystery blonde from the fountain.

When he again reached civilization he realized he had spent more time than he had intended and needed to get to Peterson. The blonde and her bike was no where to be seen. It was soooooo going to bug him as to who she was. He just knew he knew her from somewhere, but without seeing her face he just couldn't place her and it was going to drive him crazy. No matter. He had other things to worry about as he started his way back down the pass and to the Springs.

At the gate at Peterson, he was surprised to see a bike with the mystery woman being saluted by the guard as he waved her through.

He stopped, lifted his visor and handed the guard his ID who straightened to salute him through.

"Do you know where I can find hangar bay D-9?"

"Yes sir, the easiest way would be to follow the Colonel there, she's headed to the same place."

"Thank you Sargent," John said as he returned the salute determined to catch the woman as she disappeared around a corner.

A few dodged speed bumps and broken speed limits, and it didn't take long to catch up with her.

At the next stop sign he pulled up beside her and raised his visor.

He still couldn't place her, and still couldn't see her face as she kept her reflective visor in place, nodded in his direction and continued on her journey.

He followed her to an abandoned air strip.

_'What was she doing here?'_ he wondered. _'This isn't the hangar bay.'_

He looked at his watch and realized he still had about 20 minutes but any more diversions could easily put him behind schedule, and he really wanted to avoid that.

He pulled up next to her ready to ask for directions and hoping to get a glimpse of her face.

He raised his visor and the figure looked in his direction, then revved her bike.

A smile spread across his face.

"You're on!" He said not knowing if she actually heard him or not. He flicked his visor closed and revved in response.

She held up three fingers, then one by one counted down until her hand was a fist, at which point both bikes took off.

The two bikes raced neck and neck down the long runway, speeds climbing higher and higher. 90...95...100...110...120...

They sped past a lift off marker and slowed as they neared the end of the run way.

The woman slid her bike sideways and speed back the way she came, John on her tail.

Once they reached the starting point they halted. The woman nodded to John then continued leisurely toward hangar bay D-9.

….

Once there she kicked the kick stand of he bike down and shut it off.

_'Finally.'_ John thought as he did the same. The race was great and all, but he really wanted to know who she was, and where he knew her from.

They dismounted their bikes and she took off her helmet, shook her head and smoothed her short blonde hair. She placed her helmet on the tank of her bike and turned to him.

"Major Sheppard," she said extending her still gloved hand which he took with a smile. "Nice to see you again."

"Like wise, and actually it's Lt. Colonel now."

"Oh? Congratulations!"

"Thanks." "You here to qualify on the F-14's as well Colonel Carter?"

"Sam, please, and yes actually I am."

"Don't you have much cooler machines to fly?"

"I could say the same about you."

"Touche." "Yeah I just felt the need to keep up my quals on the things I used to fly. I figure with my luck I'll piss off the wrong person and be sent back to McMurdo or some other god forsaken place, so I had better keep my quals current."

"Aren't you the military commander of Atlantis? Seems a little far fetched to have such a fall from grace and go from the military commander of an intergalactic expedition to flying Generals around glaciers."

They started walking towards the bay holding the planes they would use to qualify.

"I only was invited to Atlantis on Elizabeth's insistence, I only have this job and the promotion because of her, no matter what she may deny. I know if it wasn't for her, Colonel Caldwell would have my job. If anything were to happen to her, or political winds change and she is replaced, I don't believe I'd find myself as military commander for long."

"You have a point. You'd think being a hero would be job security, but we've all been through enough to know that nothing is untouchable."

"So why are you here? Surely with your record and your mind you don't need to be qualified to fly F-14's"

"No, but they're fun." She flashed him a devilish grin. "When I found out why you were returning to Earth, I decided to renew as well. Besides, SG1 is actually on downtime. Teal'c is on Da'Kara and Daniel with SG3 translating _something_ and frankly, Cam and Vala are driving me crazy and won't let me get any work done."

"So how'd you sneak off without at least Mitchell?"

"I told him I was going for a pizza run."

John laughed. "How long ago was that?"

"1130."

"So, over 4 hours, I bet he's getting hungry."

"I'm sure he is... Shall we?" Sam said gesturing toward the Airmen waiting patiently for them to finish their conversation.

…...

Each were seated in an F-14 on the runway waiting for permission to take off.

A voice came over their radios. "Ok, today we are performing touch and go's. Each of you will make ten passes and ten touches. After that you will spend approximately 10 minutes dog fighting. Each will have 5 minutes as the bad guy." "Range qualifications will take place at Area 51 on a later date. Is the mission understood?"

"Roger"

"Roger"

"Alright, who's leading the touch and goes?"

Sheppard spoke up, "Ladies first?"

"You bet!"

"Ok then, Colonel Carter, you are clear for take off."

"Copy that."

Carter's engines roared to life and she was momentarily pinned to the back of her seat as her craft sped forward and took off into the air all within the span of a few seconds.

"Colonel Sheppard, you are clear for take off."

"Copy."

He too was in the air within seconds.

They reached a height of 2000 ft. banked and came around lowering themselves to the runway, first Carter, followed a few second later by Sheppard. Each literally bounced their tires off the runway before heading back to the sky, banking again and making another pass. Each 'touched' the runway 10 times, then heard a voice come over the radio.

"Ok, ascend to 10,000 ft and prepare to commence dog fight. Colonel Sheppard your first as bad guy."

"Roger"

"Roger"

"Alright, you are at 10,000 ft. Colonel Carter you have 5 minutes to lock onto Colonel Sheppard and take him out."

"Understood."

"Begin!"

Sheppard punched it and banked left pulling a good many G's. The centrifugal force pinning him to his seat and causing pressure to build in his head. _'Too bad these things don't have inertial dampeners!'_

Sam chased him, spun and came around behind him. John dodged and weaved and Sam matched him move for move.

He straightened and she nearly had a lock on him. She could almost read his mind. It was a tactic she had seen many times done by O'Neill and Mitchell in 302's, essentially hitting the brakes, dropping behind and taking her out, and she was prepared.

Sam shot straight up bending the plane in an upside down arc in the sky as he momentarily cut the engine. He was shocked when she didn't speed by him and he punched the throttle before he lost too much momentum, only to have her come out of nowhere behind him, instantly locking on.

Sheppard's alarms sounded and controls flashed res as he was 'taken out' by Carter.

"You're dead John!" she said with glee.

"How the hell did you pull that one off?"

"You think you're the only pilot to pull that trick? Though I'll have to tell you, the G's I just pulled nearly took me out, what I'd give for inertial dampeners in this thing."

"I was thinking the same thing a moment ago."

"Good Job, Colonel Carter. Kill for you in 3 minutes 35 seconds." "Colonel Sheppard, it's your go, move into position."

He slowed slightly then pulled up behind Carter."

"Ready"

"Copy that, begin!"

Carter made a sharp bank to the right, Sheppard on her tail. She spiraled and dove to the high plains desert below her. She dodged and weaved coming close to the ground on more than one occasion before shooting straight up. Sheppard was on her tail and she couldn't shake him. She decided to descend once more toward the desert in a fast gutsy move pulling up at the last moment.

Any sane pilot would have stopped and waited for her to finish her death defying move, but not John Sheppard. Alarms screamed at both of them as they came dangerously close to contact with the ground.

He had her in his sights, locked and 'fired'.

"Oh, so sorry, but Colonel Carter, you are toast!"

Sam was all giggles.

"Though I will admit to squeezing my cheeks there. Do you think you could have come any closer to the ground?"

"Not without impact."

"It's a good thing we're both Lt. Colonels or our asses would be grass, for that."

"Don't think that it's not!" Came the voice from the control tower. "I'll have word with your Commanding Officers later, for the moment, return to Runway D and return the planes to hangar bay D-9." "Oh and Colonel Sheppard, kill scored in 3 minutes 36 seconds."

….

They had changed out of their flight suits and were back at their bikes donning leather jackets, gloves and the like.

"So, what have you got planned for the rest of your three week's leave?" Sam asked.

"Actually nothing. I really don't have family to visit or any place to go. I figured maybe I'd head to the airport and just catch the next plane, no matter where it was going, or stay here. Still haven't seen Garden of the Gods and it sounded cool."

"It is, but the random plane idea sounds great too! But, if you wanted to see Garden of the Gods, why did you follow me all the way to Woodland Park and back?"

He shoved his hand in a glove and sported a smirk that combined with that spiky hair, would make lesser women melt. Good thing Sam was well accustomed to good looking hot shots! Still though, she couldn't help but find him attractive.

"I saw you at at fountain, but couldn't see your face. I knew that I knew you from somewhere but couldn't place you. It was nagging on my mind so I had to find out." "Now why the little race on the old airstrip?"

"Ahhh," she said, zipping up her form fitting leather jacket. Sheppard just couldn't' help but appreciate the way she looked in leather, hell anything she wore would look good on her. His smooth confident attitude had always come in handy during times like this when his mind wandered where his eyes wanted to. He was used to dealing with brilliant attractive women though, and kept his cool.

"It's a little something I like to do before qualifying if I am able, gets the adrenalin going."

"Ok, that makes sense." He flashed her a smile and snapped the chin strap of his helmet. "Where are you off to now?"

"Commissary, need to pic up a couple things. I'm making dinner for Cassie tonight. She's working as a nurse at a local hospital for the summer before she starts med school in the fall, they've been running her pretty ragged, so I'm cooking tonight. Wanna join us?"

"I don't know" There was that 'make you melt' smile again "Dinner with two beautiful women, or a plane to no where..."

Sam smiled as she flipped her visor closed and mounted her bike. John did likewise. Bikes were started and kick stands, well, kicked; and off they went with Sam leading the way.

…..

John was chopping vegetables next to Sam. They had been happily chatting for an hour, sharing off-world stories, mainly funny ones. He reveled in the delight she took in McKay's usually self induced predicaments. He was now the royal favorite and first pick to be king to 'Queen Harmony' brat extraordinaire. He couldn't help but love her giggle, it was very unique, and almost evil-maniacal.

"Hand me that pepper would you?"

As Sam handed him the pepper he noticed the air on her arms stand up and goosebumps race up her arm. He wondered if it was in reaction to him, or their proximity, was dinner more than just dinner between friends? They were more like acquaintances really. How many things can race through a man's mind in the span of a split second?

That's when he noticed the bright smile on her face. "Cassie!" she turned her head just as the door opened, leaving John to wonder what psychic connection Sam had with the young alien woman.

"Sam!" The redhead dropped her stuff at the door and ran over to Sam hugging her tight. "You finally crawled your way out of that mountain. I wasn't sure if you would, mission or not." She stepped back and noted John. "And you brought a friend." Her expression changed into one of concern, she really shouldn't be asking Sam about work right now. "Does he, uh, work on 'Deep Space Telemetry' too?"

Sam smiled at John's confused look. "Sort of, this Is Lt. Colonel John Sheppard."

"Nice to meet you" he said taking Cassie's hand. "But, just what does Depp Space Telemetry have to do with what we do?"

"It's code for the Stargate program. Anyone asks me what I'm doing for the Air Force I tell them 'Deep Space Telemetry' which is usually met by either skepticism or a job offer for 'something way cooler'"

"Ahh. So what's the code for my Expedition?" He wasn't sure if Cassie knew about Atlantis.

"I don't think we have one." "How about, lost but not forgotten?"

"Funny, Funny."

"So what is it you do?" Cassie inquired.

John looked to Sam questioningly and who nodded.

"I'm the military commander of the Atlantis Expedition in the Pegasus Galaxy."

"Nice! I've seen it thru Jack's telescope. Well Not Atlantis itself, but the cluster of starts that make up the Pegasus Galaxy."

"Oh, really? Who's Jack?"

Cassie looked at him incredulously. "General Jack O'Neill."

"Oh, sorry. Not used to people having a first name basis with a General."

"Well Cassie is special," Sam said giving the girl a small hug before returning to the cookbook.

"Why, yes, yes I am."

….

All three chatted over dinner of Cassie's work and school. How she took a huge course load and graduated a year early with a nursing degree to keep her occupied over the summer before attending med school at John Hopkins University.

They laughed over the days events and teased John about taking a full extra second to 'kill' Sam than it did Sam to 'kill' him.

Sam and Cassie frosted a cake for desert. Once, Cassie slapped his hands with her frosting knife as he tried to steal some icing off the cake. He just licked it off his hand instead as they all chuckled.

"So, Colonel Sheppard, are you off to Atlantis or are you taking some down time?" Cassie asked finishing the last bit of icing as Sam rinsed off strawberries that would top the cake.

"I dunno, I'm eager to get back to Atlantis, but I've been _ordered_ to relax. Elizabeth is not thrilled that I loose vacation days every year since you tap out at 90 days accumulation. So I'm supposed to be Earth-side for 3 weeks."

"Any plans?"

"Not really. I'm actually quite lost here. I sort of... fit in, back in Atlantis, ya know?"

"I know, all too well, I know. Having been born and spent my first 12 years on another planet, well, lets just say I know how it is to feel out of place." "Then again, I don't think anyone in the Stargate program really feels like they belong anywhere outside of the 'Stargate Family', as I like to call it."

Sam just smiled and nodded as she shut off the water.

"I was thinking about just going to the airport and getting a ticket for the next plane out and seeing where it takes me, spending a day or so there and doing it all over again."

"Sound exciting and spontaneous, but aren't you supposed to let the military know where you're going?"

"Well" he said with a devilish grin, "They know where I am. I'm never more than a beam away."

Cassie's eyes lit up. "So true!" "Hey, Sam, you should go with him!" "You _really_ could use a vacation."

"Huh?" Sam said looking a little like a deer caught in the headlights. John was fun and all, but she didn't exactly know him. Especially not well enough to go globe trotting with him. "Uh, I can't, really. I have work to do at the Mountain and..."

Sheppard cut her off. "Hey, you said your self that Cam and Vala weren't letting you get any work done. Like I said, we'd never be more than a beam away. What'd'ya say?"

"Maybe she's afraid of what _Jack_ would think." Cassie teased.

"Cass!" Sam shot her a warning look.

"What?" She said innocently.

John just looked uncomfortable and pretended not to have heard anything.

Just then a blue light enveloped Carter and she disappeared.

"Ughh!" Cassie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Happen a lot?" asked John.

"More than you would know."

She quickly sliced strawberries for the cake.

"Ummm.. maybe I should go?"

"I'm sure you'll be the next one beamed out of here, I want to get these strawberries on the cake first though. You can take it with you. If Jack is there he'll appreciate it."

"Why would you think he was there?"

"He usually is when something catastrophic enough to warrant beaming happens. Though, I really think he likes to beam Sam away just to annoy her."

He wanted to ask, but it wasn't appropriate. He didn't want to be a gossip but he wanted to know. He _had_ to know if a CO and their 2IC could covertly be together without affecting the job or having too many people, if anyone knowing. But it wasn't his place to ask and it nagged at him as the words danced on his tongue. He fought hard to keep them there.

Luckily Cassie bailed him out. She could see his inner turmoil. She didn't know if he _liked_ Sam and that was why he wanted to ask the question the entire _world_ wanted and answer to, or if it was something else. While the two had chemistry, she didn't really get the '_vibe_' of any crush on either end.

"You are curious to know if Sam and Jack are a couple?"

He cleared his throat and just nodded.

Cassie smiled, "So does everyone else." "I happen to know the answer..." she trailed off letting him squirm for the answer for a moment. "No, they are not. Should they be? YES! But they aren't and most likely never will be."

"Why?" 

"You know better than me. Regulations, the likely hood of dying every day, normal complication every couple faces..." "It's sad, pathetic really. I wish, just once, they would just put everything that's holding them back aside." "I really think they would have had everything, I think they really had a chance. But, I also think that they've missed their chance." "I've seen the change. From flirting and banter, to pining, to a sadness in both of them." She got a far off and sad look.

"Anyway, I'm not sure why you wanted to know. I know _everyone_ wants to know, but I sense that for you, it's another reason."

"Yeah, something like that."

Cassie poured the now cut strawberries on top of the cake and had no more than replaced the cover over the cake when he started to shimmer. She quickly shoved it into his hands and he disappeared. It always amazed her if you can catch that perfect split second, one could hitch a ride or send something along a matter stream.

**A/N: Ok, I have no idea really about dogfights and if this one even resembles something physically possible. However, I _do_ know about touch and go's. We were stationed at Norfolk VA for a few months while DH was in IFF school. We rented a little apartment next to NAS Oceana. The planes would fly so close to our apartment (which was on the 2nd floor) that we could see every bolt in the plane. At times it looked as if they were landing on our roof! When we'd head to the Commissary, we'd see them doing their touch and go's. I was always taken aback by they way they never really _landed,_ that they literally just _bounced_ off the runway. I guess it counted as a 'landing'...**


	2. Chapter 2

"Sheppard! You brought cake!"

That's when John realized he wasn't in Sam's kitchen with Cassie anymore and was, in fact, holding a cake in his hands.

"Uhhh... yeah. It's for you, from Cassie." He said handing the cake to General O'Neill.

"Ahhh, a gal after my own heart!" The General smiled, cheery and un-military as ever.

John just rocked back and forth on his feet a little feeling quite out of place an uncomfortable.

"Yeah... I'm not really used to just being beamed without notice ya know?"

"Actually, I do. I don't know how many times I was in the middle of a speech.. cake.. or inviting someone to fish" He smiled at Carter who slapped his hand for digging into the icing with his finger as she was trying to recover the cake. "Hey!" "Anyway, yeah I know what you mean. I'm always being beamed against my will at inconvenient times. Figured I'd share the love."

"Well, thanks." John's reply was sarcastic, yet still jovial. "So, do I get to know why I'm here or is that a mystery too?"

"Well I couldn't just leave poor, defenseless, Cassie with you all alone now could I?"

"I get the impression Cassie isn't all that defenseless, if I've read my mission reports right Sam's a hell of a fighter and I can't imagine she wouldn't teach a pretty young woman in her care how to defend herself."

"True, true. Actually, We've gotten word from Bratac that there's been an incident on Da'Kara and he needs assistance. Daniel is currently unavailable as his team is cut off from the gate by severe weather that I guess resembles spring time in the mid-west, tornado's and such. Anyway, he's not much of a shot and I could use a temp on SG-1 and Sam said you were bored..."

John lit up, "Actually I'd _love_ to go off world with SG-1! I've never been off-world in the milky way. It'll be nice not to have life sucking, self regenerating bad guys lurking around every corner."

"Instead, you'll just have parasitic, nearly as hard to kill, fry your brain with a hand device, take you as host bad guys." Sam quipped.

"Lets not forget over the top, cliché, and melodramatic." added O'Neill in his characteristic flare.

"Well, yeah, I guess there's that. I guess I'll just have to make sure I don't get taken as a host. I really don't want to go through what Caldwell did." John said grimacing.

"Oh, it's not all that bad, as long as you eventually get the snake out of your head, isn't that right Carter?"

"Well Tok'Ra are a little nicer Sir."

"Depends on who you ask" O'Neill said half under his breath. Even after having been blended with one, he still didn't trust them. Maybe he trusted them even less after the Tok'Ra he shared his body with had taken him essentially hostage after curing him of the Ancient plague. It ended up with the sybiote abandoning him to the tortures of Baal.

It was then that Landry walked in.

"General, so nice to see you."

"You too." replied O'Neill

"Are we all ready to debrief?"

"Yes, Sir!" John and Sam said simultaneously.

…..

In the briefing room.

"So," Landry began. "It seems as though one of the many faces of Baal has gathered himself a little troupe of followers and they all have sworn themselves over to Origin. It seems to be Baal's intent to become a prior before too long."

"Along with all those fancy powers that go with wielding the glowing staff.." added O'Neill dryly.

"Precisely." "Now the Jaffa have been having meetings upon meetings, in fact it's beginning to look like a God damned Untied Nations Summit... over the current situation." "A few decided they had enough of the bureaucratic bull and took matters into their own hands, Teal'c being one of them." "They are currently captured and being held prisoner by Baal."

"And you want SG-1 to go in, guns blazing and save our fearless friend." It was more of a statement than a question. It's not like Mitchell and the rest of SG-1 for that matter hadn't been thru this a hundred times before. Teal'c sense of duty and honor often put them in sticky situations.

"Exactly. But more importantly, at least to the eye of the IOA..."

Mitchell cut Landry off, "They want intel, as usual, we get it. They are only concerned about their collective asses and not those of an Alien, no matter how many years of loyal service he's put in or how many times he's saved those asses."

"We all agree the IOA is a pain in the ass Mitchell, but at least you have the go ahead to rescue Teal'c"

"Yes sir!"

"You, Colonel Carter, Colonel Sheppard." "Vala is stranded with Daniel for the time being." Chukling almost to himself he added, "Bet he's having fun with that."

"You know Vala Sir, she's kind of a free spirit. He's the only one that can control her. Yet, I'm sure she's found someway to get into some sort of mischief."

"I'm sure she is. Well, since they're not here at the moment they'll have to sit this one out."

"Yes Sir."

"Now, you three will take SG-2 and stage a rescue. Barring any injuries you are to report directly to Da'Kara where General O'Neill will be waiting for you. He'll be there as a _diplomatic_ liaison to the Jaffa."

"You mean I'll be there to smile and keep them from blaming Earth for Teal'c's little adventure?"

"Yes." "Any questions?"

"They all shook their heads no."

"Good. Dismissed."

….

John was now dressed in SG green rather than his standard _Atlantis black_. He felt odd, out of uniform and out of place, yet excited at the chance to be off world in his native galaxy. His _home_ would always be Atlantis, where _he_ was the alien. It was an odd realization.

He stepped thru the event horizon and into darkness. He flipped down his NVG's and his world illuminated in an eerie green.

The group wound their way through the woods staying within sight of the 'road' (large path was more like it) but not directly on it. A few times they had to circle around patrols of metal clad warriors. The only Jaffa he had ever met was Teal'c and he was always in BDU pants and black T-shirt. To see them dressed in armor and mail was quite a sight.

John noticed how Sam and Cam seemed to switch off who was in command almost subconsciously. He realized that while he was their equal in rank now, this was their party and he was the guest. Plus, they had an unspoken language much like he did with his team. Well, _most_ of his team. Ronin could read him and vise versa, but he had a habit of going off and finding trouble on his own. Teyla, yeah, Teyla could be counted on to read his movements and to follow orders implicitly. Then there was Rodney, well, John wasn't sure Rodney could read anything that wasn't in 1's and 0's, he certainly couldn't read people and hardly ever immediately obeyed a command, especially 'quiet'. He loved his team never the less, and they were good at what they did.

SG-1, or at least this fraction of it, were something else entirely, it was almost like watching a dance. Sam and Cam always knew where the other was, seemed to sense what the other was thinking and able to read minute movements and gestures. John, well he just followed their lead, and watched closely. Learning their movements was like learning another language, one that he would eventually speak fluently in times to come. John took to studying them as they moved through the dense forest.

…

They approached a grand pyramid. Not as tall as the ones in Egypt, or at least not as tall as the ones in Egypt seemed, at least the last time John flew over one in a Helo.

SG2 was signaled to move off and create a diversion, loose their pursuit, double back and provide cover fire for their return.

The three remaining moved forward toward the entrance that was guarded by two Jaffa.

Sam and Cam ambushed the two with Zat guns. First stunning them, then killing them, and with the third shot disintegrating them.

"Those are so much cooler than wraith stunners!" John whispered excitedly.

Sam shot him a smile, raised her P-90 and moved forward.

They moved through the halls ducking behind or in between ever so convenient alcoves. John couldn't help but think this was the worst ever design for a ship he had seen, so much wasted space and too many hiding spots. Then again, it would come in real handy if Wraith hives were structured like this!

They moved to the brig entrance and again zat'd and disintegrated two guards.

"Colonel Carter, Colonel Mitchell and Colonel Sheppard." a bloody Teal's said calmly nodding his head in a slight bow.

The other Jaffa being held with him all stood stoically and patiently while Sam made quick work of rewiring the cell door which opened in short order. John wondered who was faster, her or Rodney. Maybe someday he'll hold a competition between the two.

They handed their Zats to a few of the Jaffa and moved out.

The rescue went smoothly, a little too smoothly for Sheppard's liking, but the other two Lt. Colonels acted like it was an everyday occurrence.

Sam noticed his confused expression and fell back next to him.

"Getting in is always easy, getting out is the hard part, we'll need to move down to the generator room and place some C-4." she whispered.

Sam was right of course. They ran into heavy resistance trying to escape after planting their C-4. Several firefights had ensued, one of the newly freed Jaffa was killed and their exit was blocked. They maneuvered around a few corridors and were ringed into the glider bay just as staff blasts flew in their direction.

"Have you ever flown a death glider before?" Mitchell asked John.

"No, but I can fly anything. If I can learn a Wraith dart on a moments notice then I'm sure I can fly one of these since the 302's are modeled from them."

"Ok then, you take that one. Follow my lead. Once we're out of here we'll radio SG2 to dial Da'Kara and we'll fly straight there. Two minutes on the timer before this puppy blows."

The Jaffa were already in gliders and Sam was climbing into hers.

"Even though these things fit two people, we'll each take one. No sense in letting them go to waste and they may serve as a small peace offering to the Jaffa council."

They were out of the hangar bay just a few seconds before the pyramid exploded in a ripple effect, imploding from the bottom up.

SG-2 dialed Da'Kara and they flew through the gate to be transported to a desert planet.

John followed Mitchell and parked his glider next to him.

Yep, death gliders were a lot like 302's!

**A/N: I know the mission is quite rushed. But I want the focus of the story to be building a friendship between John and Sam. To do that I wanted them to go on a few missions together in the Milky Way as I feel I can have more fun with Milky Way missions (better mission to come soon) since this galaxy seems to be more diversified in various cultures. Atlantis, with few exceptions, have mostly agrarian societies and all worship the ancestors in some way shape or form, whereas the MW has every strange and crazy culture you could dream up!**

**Oh, and I LOVE Vala and can usually nail her cadence and wit. However, I don't know if it's the fact that we've only seen the sun one day out of 15 with a forecast of another 10 days of clouds, fog, drizzle and rain; but I'm having a hard time _finding_ her, so she had to sit this one out, and so did Daniel since they are pretty much connected at the hip.**


	3. Chapter 3

Qualifications Chapter 3

John, Cam and Sam had luckily been left out of the afternoon's proceedings between the Jaffa council, General O'Neill and the Jaffa that infiltrated Baal's home base.

They had adjourned for the day and General O'Neill was left to his own devises until the morning.

"Well kids, what's for dinner?"

"Well, the Jaffa have the desert catch of the day, or there are MRE's, Sir" Mitchell responded.

"As interesting as mystery meat sounds, I'll have the MRE."

"Never in my life did I ever imagine a _General_ eating MRE's" John really couldn't get over a General off world, in the sand, in BDU's eating MRE's with the rest of them.

O'Neill looked at him incredulously.

"Sir!" he added as an afterthought.

"Oh, c'mon Sheppard, you should know by now I'm not exactly fond of military pomp." "Actually, I think I'm kind of offended, I mean, do I really _look_ like a General to you?"

If it wasn't for the snickers, smiles and attempts by Sam and Cam to retain their mirth and the raised eyebrow and slight smirk by Teal'c; John probably would have clammed up in an 'open mouth insert foot' moment. But O'Neill was right, a General was probably the last thing O'Neill resembled so John played it smooth.

"No sir, in fact a General is probably the last thing you resemble."

Sam and Cam broke in fits of laughter and Teal'c looked even more amused without changing his expression what so ever, maybe it was the firelight. By now they had taken up places around an abandoned fire as they dug into their packs for MRE's.

"Damn straight!" O'Neill said nonchalantly leaning back slightly and adjusting the visor of his hat.

"Well then, chicken or beef?" John asked.

"Chicken."

They sat around the fire eating their MRE's and sharing stories. There wasn't a person there that couldn't put an amusing spin on a tale, but Cam had to be about the best with his slightly southern drawl and candor.

For all John had seen in Pegasus, if any of these 'fish tales' as he came to think of them were anywhere near true, then Pegasus had nothing on the Milky Way for bizarre cultures.

Currently they were on the topic of strange dress they had been forced to wear over their years. John was thankful he had never been forced out of his BDU's.

"Hey Carter, remember that get up they dressed you in on that planet... the one with the Mongols, where the son of the Chief kidnapped you and tried to trade you for a rival Chief's daughter?"

"Oh! Don't remind me!"

Cam and John looked at them as they laughed. It was then that John realized that while Cam was co-lead of SG-1 he hadn't been that way from the beginning, unlike John and his team. He also noted that while O'Neill was currently a General, he wasn't always so and as leader of SG-1 had grown close to his teammates. The look in the General's eye when recalling stories and hearing about ones he'd missed was one that couldn't be explained by words. And the tension and the longing and sorrow between Carter and O'Neill was... heartbreaking, to say the least.

John let his mind wander a little more as they laughed and described the get up in detail.

He wondered what it must have been like for them. To be that close day after day, falling for each other but always being held apart by that invisible wall. What would it have been like if Elizabeth had been part of his team, off world and in the middle of the death and blood right along with him. Would that make him more determined or more afraid of pursuing his feelings for her. It was nerve wrecking enough the danger she was already in, but to place Elizabeth in the place of say, Teyla... he actually didn't want to think about it. Then again, Sam was an entirely different type of woman, very unique.

"So how much was she worth?" Cam asked. They had been getting to the part of 'buying' her back from the Chief who thought she was the most beautiful object he had ever seen, but had been coming to realize she was more trouble than she was worth.

"More than ten women!" O'Neill said proudly.

Carter just blushed and shrugged it off. "It's only because they had never seen anyone with Blonde hair or blue eyes before. I was unique, that was all. But got the chance at payback when I kicked his ass in a duel for the life of his daughter"

"Oh, you're certainly unique" O'Neill teased, but the look in his eye told everyone he meant it, in a good way.

"I'm pretty sure you were worth every penny. In fact, General, you should have seen her in Lucian style leather! Now _that_ was an outfit!" Sam threw a marshmallow at Cam for the comment. O'Neill _never_ forgot the marshmallows!

"Yeah well, at least I'm not always loosing my pants!" she teased back.

"Hey, it's been a while since anything like that has happened."

"Well you're forgetting to tell them that the last time it _did_ happen, we found you handcuffed by Vala to a Motel bed."

John and O'Neill raised an eyebrow and Teal'c continued to look stoic and amused at the same time sitting in a semi-meditative state.

"Hey, I was only trying to keep her from the bad guys."

"Handcuffed and without pants?" John asked.

"Yeah, bad guys had scrambled her brains a bit, I tried to help her and well... she didn't trust me and handcuffed me to the bed." "Besides I was _not_ naked."

Sam giggled when Teal'c said "You were without clothing Colonel Mitchell."

"I still had my boxers on!"

"Alright, alright. It's getting late. We should set up camp." "Sheppard, you take first watch" said O'Neill.

"Uh, sir? Why don't we just take some of the rooms the Jaffa Council offered us?" asked Sheppard.

"Well with all do respect to the Jaffa High Council, but I feel better out here under the stars and with my own people watching my back."

"Good enough for me!"

They quickly set up camp and came up with a watch schedule.

….

John patrols the area immediately around their camp. Carter and O'Neill had gone for a walk to 'asses the perimeter' nearly a half hour ago.

He saw them in the distance talking softly and sitting close. Carter seemed to sigh and O'Neill put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. John immediately froze in his tracks, quite taken aback by their forward nature with each other.

Sam rested her head on his shoulder and looked quite content and comfortable that way.

While John momentarily thought maybe Cassie had been wrong, he remembered how tortured they looked during the campfire tales.

They looked as tortured as he felt around Elizabeth.

…..

The next day they were joined by Daniel and Vala.

Daniel had joined the discussions on General O'Neill's insistence.

Vala had turned her charms onto their new addition and John spent a couple hours trying to tactfully ditch her when Sam saved him.

"Vala, I'm sorry but I am going to have to steal Colonel Sheppard from you."

"Whatever for?"

Sam just smiled and gave her a wink.

"Oh, right! Well good luck Samantha, he's a tough one to crack. I doubt you have better luck than me unless you are the on he's saving himself for." Looking at John she said, "Don't worry handsome, if Sam's not to your liking I have no doubt I can please you. Might even teach you a thing or two!" she said winking then snapping her gum.

Sam rolled her eyes and took John's pro-offered arm and led him along a stroll around the large Ancient complex now inhabited by the Free Jaffa.

...

"Thank you! I don't think I could ever repay you."

"Think nothing of it. Vala's not bad once you get to know her and if you can look past her trying to seduce you every two minutes."

"Oh? You have that problem too?" John teased, raising an eyebrow and trying not to smile.

Sam playfully slapped his arm.

"Ummm, the General's not going to kill me or anything if he happens to see you on my arm is he? 

"No.. he'll probably have Teal'c do the dirty work for him." she deadpanned before adding a dazzling smile. There was something about the smile of Samantha Carter that could make any man go weak in the knees, including John Sheppard. He was momentarily distracted and stunned, then shook it off and lowered his head shaking it and sighing.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah I do. And I could say it's none of your business, but you don't seem to me the type just fishing for gossip, so what's up?"

"I don't think there's anyone who can look at you two together and not notice that you seem _very_ comfortable with each other. I know that you two are not a couple though so I guess I just... don't get it?"

Sam took a deep breath. "Well, it's really complicated."

"Show me a relationship that's not."

"True, true." "Well I don't really know when it started. I do know when I first realized how much he meant to me and I went crazy for a few months trying to find a way to find him."

They stopped and sat on some steps and he looked at her with genuine interest but without his usual sparkle. Sam realized it wasn't a juicy forbidden Harlequin romance story he was after, but maybe more of an affirmation or guide per se, of something in his own life. Hers was really screwed up so she didn't think she should really be a role model, but something was better than nothing and John was rapidly proving himself to be someone she would consider a friend. That in itself was mind boggling to her, as she usually didn't make friends, especially not close- confidant-esque friends very often, and never this quickly. But she felt some sort of connection with him, an understanding that she just couldn't explain. '_Must be the hair, the easy going/charming attitude and love for motorcycles.'_

"Ok, I suppose there had to have been a physical attraction on some level from the start. Not long after SG1 started going on routine missions several members of SG teams came down with a plague that would turn a person into a Neanderthal. I was infected and tried to jump the then Colonel." John smiled. "Hey! I was turning into a Neanderthal and I guess the only thing on my mind was reproduction."

"Anyway, after a couple of years working together we were on a planet watching a meteor shower. What was supposed to be an annual spectacular light show, instead the meteors started striking the planet. We were trying to evacuate everyone in the village through the gate. Some decided to stay, some of which were teenagers we had grown fond of that had run of to a cave system to stay safe. Jack went after them."

The use of the General's first name without hesitation was not lost on John.

"One of the meteors hit the gate, burying it, it was covered just far enough away to allow a wormhole to form but not allow anything through, kind of like the iris." "For months I struggled to find a way to rescue him, to find out if he was even alive. We didn't have ships then" "So, I worked day and night and it drove me crazy. It was only when Janet came to me concerned over the lack of sleep that it became apparent that I cared for him more than I was supposed to."

Sam took a deep breath and fell into silence reflecting on all the missed times she had to say _something_ about how she felt.

"Well, since he's here, I take it you found a solution."

"Yes. We were able to bore through the dirt with an energy weapon until the hole was big enough to send Teal'c to dig through to the surface." "It was rough though. He had given up hope that we were ever going to find him. The night before the rescue, he had let go and became part of their society, and part of the family he was staying with. Those teens I was telling you about?" John nodded. "One was a boy who had lost his father long ago. His mother was the one we spoke to when we were there most often. She is also the one that took Jack in. They had started something together, and for me, it was heartbreaking."

"He never went back though. Only forward. But I learned a lesson, to bury my feelings because they were not reciprocated, or so I thought."

"I know what you mean." "I was trapped in a time dilation field. On my side 6 months had passed when only a few hours had passed for everyone else. I hadn't given up... But I did give in to the comforts of the woman taking care of me, the one who healed me every time I fought their 'beast'. Literally the day after I gave in, they found a way in and all the people within the field faced their fear, which was the 'beast' and ascended."

"We've all been through so much it's a wonder any of us were sane after 6 months let alone 10 years later!" Sam said chuckling.

"Can't argue there."

"Eventually we both came to realize our feelings for one another."

"There was a mission where the Tok'Ra brought alien armbands that turned us into, well, super heroes."

"For real?"

"Yeah, it was great. We were faster than a speeding bullet, we were super strong, there was _nothing_ we couldn't' do. Unfortunately it also impaired our judgment a bit. We decided to raid and blow up a Gould mother ship." "We went in, knocked out all resistance, stole the naquadah and planted all the C-4." On our way back out we were running through the fluctuations in the forcefeild.."

"Whoa, that _was_ fast! I mean to even see the fluctuations.." John realized he was showing his inner geek and choked his enthusiasm and allowed the bewildered yet smiling Carter to continue.

"Yeah, it _was_ really cool. At least, until the arm bands wore off. I hit the forcefeild and was knocked out. The Colonel came back for me but as he was trying to run through his stopped working and he slammed into the forcefeild. I was stuck on the inside, he on the outside. When we came to it, there wasn't much time left on the C-4. He tried to get me out but there wasn't anything he could do. I begged him to go, to leave me behind, but he wouldn't." "We spent the last couple of seconds before the C-4 blew listening to the clank of approaching Jaffa just looking at each other through the field. Me begging him with my eyes to leave and he with his, refusing to leave."

"We got lucky. The C-4 blew just enough to knock out the force shield and we made it home safe and sound."

"A few months later there was to be a summit meeting between the President and the Tok'Ra High Chancellor." "The Gould had formed a new way of creating assassins, by taking a Tok'ra or Earth humans and essentially brainwashing them. It was on a subconscious level. One didn't even know what their 'programming' was until the triggering event. Then they fulfilled their programming and/or took their lives."

"The Tok'ra had a devise that could tell if someone had been tampered with by having them relate missions and looking for inconsistencies in memory recall patterns." "They thought Jack and I were Za'Tark's because we omitted the reason why he wouldn't leave me. Once we confessed that we cared for each other, a lot more than we're supposed to, the machine cleared us."

"Yet you were allowed to continue working together despite military regs."

"It never left the room and we kept it under our hats for years." "We even tried moving on and dating other people. I became engaged and was going to marry, but it didn't work out, because I was still in love with Jack." "We just never acted on it, and we never will. We've talked and we're not willing to sacrifice... all this" She said making a sweeping gesture around her, "to be together. I guess you could say we are the modern day tragedy." "Now, well, it's most likely too late. Now we are more like best friends."

"Must be hard."

"Yes and no. He's in Washington now and it's always been doomsday this, fate of the galaxy that, so plenty to keep our minds off it." "People who know us though do not bat an eye at our comfort with each other. They know the truth and they know it would never interfere."

John sighed a sorrowful sigh and looked at the ground.

"So, know the question is why did you want to know?"

Looking back up and meeting her cool blue eyes he said, "Can I ask a question first?' She nodded. "If you had the chance to go back to the beginning and do it all over again. Would you take the chance? Would you break those regs for love?"

Sam sat silently for what seemed like a long time was was really only a minute or less.

"I really don't know. I wish I could say I would, but I really don't know."

"That's fair." "As to why I wanted to know. Well, I _had_ to know. I had to know if you crossed that line, or if you would given the chance. I needed to know if it was worth it if you did, no matter the risks."

"You're in love with Elizabeth aren't you?"

John looked pained and avoided looking at her. "Is it _that_ transparent?"

"That you care for her is no doubt, but on the whole, no, not really. Just the line of conversation lead me to the conclusion."

John now looked at her with sincerity in his eyes. "Thanks Sam. I really mean it. While my life is still as complicated as ever, you did give me some insight."

"Which ever way you choose, I wish you luck. I won't tell you you should because I should have and I'm not going to recite the UCMJ either. Your choice is up to you, but either way I _do_ wish you satisfaction in your decision." "And if you ever need to talk..."

"Thanks Sam..."

They stood and hugged. He breathed in her hair, her scent and it stirred something in him, which was slightly disturbing since he just let his biggest secret slip and confessed his feelings for Elizabeth.

They still had their arms wrapped around each other enjoying the embrace and the promise of a friendship that flowed through them when they heard footsteps approaching.

They broke apart to see General O'Neill approaching.

Sam gave John's hands a final squeeze before straightening her BDU's and turning to the General.

"All done Sir?"

"Yes-sir-ie! So how about that cake!"

**A/N: I konw I said a Sam/John pre-ship and there's a lot of ShWeir and S/J but there's a method to my madness. * Insert evil laugh here * **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow everyone. I'm very flattered by all the story alerts, author alerts and favorite author notifications I've been getting! I haven't yet checked the traffic for the story (been too busy writing). But the attention is very motivating! So here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4:

John had spent most of the day with Sam in her lab joking around, inquiring about Milky Way tech, marveling at the differences. Even though the Ancients were deemed to be the most advanced civilization, some of the things in her lab seemed more advanced, or at least more ingenuous.

The day before they had gone for a long bike ride up to Cottonwood pass and back. They grabbed dinner at a diner near her house and went back to her place and talked more of travels and adventure. He was pretty amazed at all she had seen. The Pegasus seemed very redundant compared to the milky way. Each mission for him was pretty much the same, contact, set up trade, be attacked by wraith, save villagers, go home. On rare occasion they came into contact with a world that was out of the norm, but not all that often.

For the moment he was content just to watch her work silently. She was intent on figuring something out and he didn't want to ruin it. She didn't seem to mind either. _'She's probably used to people just hanging around watching, between Mitchell and O'Neill.'_

It was fascinating to watch her work. He'd seen Rodney figure hundreds of gizmos, and while it could be entertaining due to his penchant for getting electrocuted or hurt in some other way, it was never _fascinating_.

"Hey, help me move this to the bench. I just realized what time it was and we need to gear up to go off world."

"Sure thing."

They lifted the heavy piece of alien equipment to the other side of the room and set it down.

"Alright, you should go gear up." Sam said.

"You're not? You are leading this mission with Cam in sickbay right?"

She smiled. "Yes, but we've sent a team to this planet before. They were wearing Sodan cloaking devices and the intel they brought back... Well, it's a matriarchial society. Amazonian in decent to be exact, so men are used as personal slaves rather than as their ruling class. Visiting males are either enslaved or killed unless accompanied by a woman that fits their criteria as a warrior and leader."

John looked at her with a freaked out expression on his face.

Sam chuckled. "Hey, we've been in opposite cultures many times and other than being traded in that Mongol village, I haven't run into any troubles yet. We don't have an all female team, but we do have Vala and I. You and Daniel will be our 'personal attendants' and informal body guards. You should be fine. But Vala and I will be 'dressed for the occasion' so I'll meet you in the gate room."

"Sure thing boss!" He said snapping a salute to which Sam just raised and eyebrow and crossed her arms in a _what the hell are you doing_ bodily expression.

"Just practicing."

"Yeah... they don't salute, they bow and don't look women in the eye. I should have sent you to Daniel for a culture lesson."

"Probably, but I'll manage I'm sure. Meet you in an hour." He turned and walked off, first to find Daniel, _then_ gear up.

Sam went to visit Mitchell in the infirmary where he was being held for a concussion sustained that morning when a car didn't see his bike and pulled into his lane and into _him_ 5 miles from base.

Sam shook her head. _'All these missions, the fact that our expected survival stepping thru that gate is astronomically slim, to have made it through so much and he end up in the infirmary from a motorcycle accident'_. It was quite ironic.

Teal'c had remained on Da'Kara on the last mission to try and patch things up with the Jaffa High Council.

…..

John entered the gate room while clipping his P-90 to his tac vest. He had an extra slung over his back, what for, he wasn't sure but he was told to have it none the less.

He finished clipping the P-90 and looked up, stopping in his tracks. There was Sam and Vala, both were dressed... well... in leather, very _little_ leather. The top, if it would be considered that, was more like a bustier with a tick strap over the right shoulder, the left was bare and it was laced in the back corset style.

The _skirt _was also leather. It was more like a knee length loin cloth for while pleats of leather hung down the front and back, the outer thighs were bare nearly to the hip. A Zat had been strapped to one thigh and a combat knife on the other and some strange looking accessory on the left hand and lower arm. The right wrist was a leather arm band much like the one he wore.

Sam had a leather circlet on her forehead and a 'tattoo' on her upper left arm of some sort of serpent. It probably denoted her as leader since Vala didn't have a tattoo or circlet.

John realized he was holding his breath and probably turning blue so he exhaled slowly but was having a hard time replacing his shock with _suave_ and it wasn't left unnoticed.

"Ahh, Colonel Sheppard, I see you've noticed how incredibly sexy Samantha and I are today. It's a lovely change from those drab uniforms." Vala said standing a little straighter and adjusting her outfit in a provocative way. "Much better, don't you think?"

He swallowed hard and took the last few steps needed to join the group. He was flabbergasted that Daniel didn't even seem to really notice and shot him a questioning look to which Daniel replied, "I take it you don't have to dress up much?"

"Uhhh... no. I've never had to dress in anything other than BDU's, neither has any member of my team, except Ronin who always wears Satedan clothing no matter what."

"Ahh.. 90% of the time BDU's are fine, but we've dressed as the locals many times. Today you and I are in luck and don't have to, I can't imagine that is all that comfortable," Daniel said looking at the women.

"It's actually very nice! Who ever made it a great job in making sure the leather was flexible. This is more like what I'm accustomed to wearing so it's a welcome change." "Besides, if it get's the Colonel's attention..." Vala circled him like a vulture slowly with one finger trailing along one shoulder, across the back of his neck to the other shoulder then finally his chest. But it wasn't the temptress that was getting to him, it was Sam standing dignified and ready to move out that had him thinking of Nun's playing baseball, or Grannie in the shower... His heart might belong to someone else right now, but his body could care less.

Daniel grabbed Vala by the wrist. "I think you'd better be Sam's attendant." he said to John pulling Vala away.

"Oh Daniel, you take the fun out of _everything_" Vala pouted.

Sam flashed him dazzling smile, "Alright, your with me then. I lead, you stay behind one step and to my left." "You both are carrying spare P-90's if we need them. Intel suggest Adria may be making her appearance here soon so we need to be on our toes."

"Dial it up Walter" Landry said from the control room.

"Yes Sir!"

Landry's voice came over the intercom. "SG-1, Colonel Sheppard you have a go and good luck!"

Sam nodded and John touched the brim of his hat in a semi-salute and the stepped through the gate.

…..

On the other side of the gate they were in a grassy clearing, dense forest about 100 yards away. John noted movement in the trees, as did Sam who descended the platform steps and yelled toward the clearing, "Alright come out, we're here in peace, lets keep it that way."

A group of well built women dressed identical to Sam and Vala stepped into the clearing, re-curve bows pulled and ready to fire.

"I wish to speak to the one who leads you." demanded Carter.

One of the women stepped forward, "I am Evandre, Daughter of Asteria. Tell me why I should take you to our Queen?"

"We are here seeking information and possibly trade. We have much we can offer you."

Evandre stepped forward until she was about a foot from Carter. The two women stared at each other intently, neither wavering for several moments before Sam suddenly backhanded the Amazonian across the face.

John immediately raised his weapon.

The Amazonian glared back at Carter who shouted "I did not come here to deal with a spoiled princess, I have urgent business with your queen, and as leader of my people, I demand to be taken to her AT ONCE!"

The Amazonian took one step back and placed the backside of her hand to her mouth then looked at the spot of blood left behind. She nodded once, "I'll take you there myself."

John walked silently through the woods. Daniel had told him some about the mythology of the Amazonian on earth. He didn't dare speak and lowered his gaze whenever a female would look in his direction, he noticed Daniel did the same. Even Vala was quiet for once.

A two mile walk later and they emerged form the forest into a bustling village. Men in collars carried water, ran forges, cooked on open fires and split wood. All cast their gaze to the ground when the warriors walked by.

Fierce yet sexy looking women trained and sparred or made weapons and leather armor. It was a strange role reversal and it left John with a disquiet feeling. He had always acknowledged that the opposite sex could do what ever he did, just as well and sometimes better, but he thought of women more as equals. And even though he always seemed to be taking orders from a woman, he sure as hell never felt like the submissive sex before, but to see the men behaving much in the same manner as village women of many worlds, was disconcerting.

They were brought to a temple adorned with statues of an Amazonian warrior goddess. Upon a dais sat a regal yet fierce looking woman dressed in the same leather with a gold circlet upon her brow and a serpent tattooed on her left arm, much the same as Sam only a different type of snake. She was mending a leather breastplate when they walked in.

"Mother." Evandre said dropping to a knee. The other warriors also dropped to a knee as did Vala, though slightly reluctantly. John followed Daniel's lead and knelt pressing his forehead to the floor. Only Carter remained standing.

The Amazonian Queen looked up and into Carter's sapphire blue eyes with a look of surprise and interest. Her gaze wandered to the 'tattoo' on Sam's arm. She gave Sam a slight smile, it was warm despite her fierce appearance and bearing.

"Rise daughter."

John stole a quick glance and realized that only Evandre rose.

"Mother, I bring you visitors from away."

"Yes, I can see that." She put down her mending, stood and descended the steps. The queen's black hair was pulled back tightly into a pony tail that was then braided and hung to her waist. Her skin was a golden brown, slightly lighter than Teyla's, her eyes were a light hazel, almost golden. She was muscular but not overly so. She walked with grace and strength. Several scars marred her otherwise perfect body.

The resemblance between mother and daughter was striking. Evandre was a younger, slightly more muscular version of her mother. She had a leather circlet on her head but no tattoo on her arm. The tattoo was reserved for the leader of a people only. Only when her mother passed would she earn the mark.

The queen approached Carter who held her gaze evenly. She showed no submission, yet no aggression either. Her bearing was equal to the woman assessing her.

The queen slowly walked around Carter looking her up and down. She noted battle scars that also marred the fair woman's otherwise perfect body. A particularly nasty one carved into her lower left abdomen was fairly recent. This was a warrior who was still active in battle, not one who commanded from behind the lines. There were others less notable on various parts of her body. She took note of the type of serpent tattooed on Sam's arm before coming to stand directly before her.

"It's been more generations than one can count since a Sister of the Tauri has visited us." She looked at her daughter and noted the fat lip and dried blood. A corner of her mouth raised slightly and amusement danced in her eyes. "I see you have impressed my daughter, or she would have killed you rather than bring you before me." "I am Asteria, daughter of Ainia and Queen of the Ha-Mazan."

"I am Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter, daughter of Elaine Carter, and leader of SG1."

"That's quite a name."

"You can call me Samantha" "And this is Vala Maldoran" she said indicating the woman still kneeling to her right. She noted the irritated looking woman.

Asteria ascended the dais back to her throne. "Leave us" she said to her daughter and the other warriors. They rose and left.

"Rise." Sam's command was sharp but not over the top. Vala was grateful to stand as were the men who stood behind them with heads downcast.

"So, tell me, why have you come?"

"We are a people of explorers, we travel to other worlds looking for allies, trade partners and diverse cultures. Recently we are at war with beings who call themselves the Ori. They have been enslaving worlds across the galaxy and we are here to warn you and gather information. Our current intel leads us to believe you have already been visited by one of their priors."

Asteria's expression turned to one of disgust. "Yes, we were visited by a _man_ (she nearly spat the word), with a glowing staff." "My daughter tried to kill him on sight, but the magic he wielded in that staff prevented him from harm." "He insisted we listen to him. He spoke of a religion called Origin. When we denounced him he said it would bring the wrath of the Orici." "We told him we would listen to and obey no man. That's when he said that we may be more willing to accept Origin spoken with the voice of the Orici, a woman of untold power and the leader of their movement." "They left us a book"

Sam inwardly wonced kowig that if Adria showed up and the women refused, the planet would be destroyed. "Yes. If you choose to accept Origin, that is your choice and we will not stop you. We just feel that everyone deserves all the facts before swearing their soul to the Ori."

"What do you know of the Orici?" asked Asteria.

"Much." She spared a glance at Vala who nodded. "Vala is the Mother of the Orici."

Astria was stunned into silence and looked to Vala with wide eyes.

Sam nodded to Vala to tell her story.

"Well 'Mother' is not exactly what I would call myself. She was not conceived of my choice, but I carried her and gave birth to her just a year ago. She was born of the Ori and they altered her to grow into a full grown woman within a few days."

Asteria's eyes shined with wild rage. "You were forced into conception! That violates our highest law!"

Vala smiled wickedly. "I was not violated in a physical sense if that's what you are referring to. Adria was conceived by magical means. I had not been with a man in a very long time, then suddenly found myself with child. At the time I was stranded on an Ori planet in another galaxy, one where men are supreme. I married so I would not be accused of adultery and burned to death." "The village prior told my husband that my child was not his, but instead was the 'will of the Ori' and when she was born she was taken from me and worshiped as the embodiment of the Gods, and named Orici." "She is a being of immense power and evil and leads an army bent on converting the galaxy to Origin and sapping the souls of all that follow her." Vala smirked as she added. "Though, I wouldn't mind a little revenge for the use of my body as the vessel to sneak one of their own over the line."

"I would hear more of this, but it is our dinner hour. I would have you join me. Your attendants will be escorted to the men's quarters."

"No." Sam was firm and even in her tone, her expression hard and determined. "Our men stay with us at _all_ times. We will not let them out of our sight."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"They are not for you to take." she said evenly. "They are ours, examples of some of our best and they will remain with us."

"Surely you do not guard _men_ so jealously. Do you not have plenty of worlds to raid for breeders?"

"We have a few different customs than you. And while there are many men on many worlds, a few are chosen for life, such as these."

"Well, they _are_ fine specimens as far as men go. However, it's a shame you came with such a small entourage an ill armed."

"We do not need numbers to fight, just skill. And we are hardly unarmed."

"Little knives will do you no good here." Asteria found the exchange humorous but her patience was beginning to wane.

"Our men are armed to the teeth and we have more than just knives."

Asteria's eyes narrowed. "Men are forbidden to touch a weapon here." "Guards!"

A full dozen women entered carrying swords resembling scimitars, shields and long knives hanging from their belts. A half dozen entered from the entrance they had come thru and another half dozen from a doorway to the side of the dais.

John and Daniel raised their P-90's.

Sam held up her hand. "No." She and Vala surrounded John and Daniel and raised their hands with ribbon devices. The devises glowed and each unleashed a pulse that blew the warriors clear.

One however had escaped Vala's blast and rushed her. Vala held until she was close enough to be skewered before activating the ribbon device, this time channeling energy into the woman's brain. The warrior crumpled to her knees and cried out as Vala scrambled her mind. Vala wouldn't kill her, she wouldn't even permanently injure her, but she sure was going to give her a hell of a headache!

Even though it had seemed like eternity to the warrior woman, Vala let her go after just a few moments.

Turning to Asteria Sam spoke. "I said they stay with us. Now, we can leave, that is of no issue to us; or, we can stay and continue our discussion. If we stay our men _will_ stay with us at all times. However, we will let them be disarmed."

Asteria nodded. She held her composure well on the outside, but inside she trembled. She had heard stories around the campfire as a child of the Mother Goddess and her 'hand of death.' If these two did not have such ability, then she had never sat around a campfire listening to stories of old.

The woman on the floor held her head and struggled not to weep.

"She'll be fine in the morning," Vala assured those coming to her aid. "Just make sure she gets a lot of rest and water. She'll have one hell of a headache for a while."

…..

**A/N: I did a lot of research on this one. I looked up the Amazon warrior legends and such. I also tried to find what Sam's mother's name is and could NOT find it, so I made one up. If anyone knows what her name is, PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME! Thanks for reading!**

**Oh I also wrote another 8 pages of text but decided to break it up and tweak the remaining pages a bit as I started to get tired and rushing things... **


	5. Chapter 5

They were lead to a grand suite to refresh before the evening meal. In the center was a lounge room with furniture and a bathing pool. On either side were bed chambers with doors open wide. The main door to the suite was closed and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was disturbing." said Sheppard.

"How so?" Inquired Daniel. Sam and Vala took seats on chaise lounges, laid back and relaxed as the men took seats opposite them.

"For one, their distaste and treatment of men. I don't care what gender you are, no one needs to be treated that way. For two, having two women protect _us_ when it should be us protecting them!"

Sam and Vala laughed hard and Daniel smiled.

"What?" protested John.

"Isn't that sweet. A Knight in shining armor. Really Samantha, couldn't we trade 'attendants' yours is much more charming!" Vala eyed John like he was a piece of meat, which, in truth, he felt very much like. Having a company of women ordered to take him because he looked like a good breeder... what was this galaxy coming to!

Sam chuckled. "Sorry Vala, as the leader of our merry band I am entitled to the best." she shot John a flirty little smile before sitting up. "Besides, it would look rather suspicious don't you think?"

"I don't know why I ever joined this team. No one has any sense of fun .ever."

"Don't worry John. It's a little different for us too. We have encountered matriarchal societies before but none so severe. Teal's girlfriend Ishta is the leader of a large group of female Jaffa. She was the high priestess for a Gould that believed only males would make his army strong, so all newborn girls were sacrificed. She and a few other priestesses devised a way to save them and raise them on an unknown world. They would raid companies of male Jaffa for their symbiotes."

"Well it's all new to me." It wasn't often John felt out of his element, but he could make the best of any situation. "My only solace is the way you all are dressed..." He flashed them a teasing smile.

Daniel just watched the whole interaction with interest. He was after all an Anthropologist.

Changing the subject Sam addressed Daniel. "Can you tell us anything about this culture, how it compares to the mythos on Earth?"

"Well, they are very similar to legend." "Legends on Earth differ from reference to reference but the basic concept still applies." "A race of warrior women who shun men. They raid for breeding purposes yet keep men here as servants and laborers. I'm guessing the ones here are their sons." "Other than breeding, they most likely find their pleasure with each other."

"Even though they have not spoken about it, the statues and architecture suggest that they were once a people that belonged to the Gould Panthesilea. She was rumored to be a queen or a goddess of the Amazonian on Earth." "Here they call themselves Ha-Mazan which is interesting. One of the myths about the origin of the word 'Amazon' is the Iranian phrase Ha-Mazan." He looked pensive for a few moments.

"The difference in your tattoo and hers may denote which tribe you rule and we didn't even realize it, it could be how she knew exactly where we were from by looking at your tattoo." "It's a fascinating culture!"

"Of course it is Daniel. Hundreds of scantily clad women just looking to get their hands on you for breeding purposes would interest any man. Why should you be any different?" there was a hint of jealousy and irritation in Vala's voice.

As a jab back Daniel added, "They were also rumored to be incredible dancers, maybe they'll treat us to us to a demonstration." He smiled in response to her glare.

"Well, for the time being let's just stick together and stick to our story. We'll inform the queen of what we know of Origin and find out when Adria is due to show." "We'll most likely end up staying the night, if that's the case, Daniel you and Vala will room together and John will room with me and we'll take shifts on watch. I don't trust them not to try and take you two. I get the feeling they are proud of their conquests."

"Traditionally the harder one fought for a mate the more they loved them, or the more prestige they receive when successful."

Changing the subject, "I can't believe you backhanded the princess!" John said still shocked at the encounter. The day was just more than a little screwed up in his opinion and he was having a hard time wrapping his head around the days events.

Sam laughed. "Daniel gave me a good heads up on their demeanor and sense of honor. I had to show her I was her superior, I am in the get up of a queen after all. I couldn't just politely ask her." "No, if I had done so they would have killed us."

"She didn't look too happy about it."

Just then there was a knock to the door moments before swinging open. Evandre entered. Daniel stood and John followed his lead. They bowed and moved to corners of the room.

Sam and Vala stood to meet their guest.

"Evandre." Sam said without emotion.

"Queen Samantha. I am here to escort you to the evening meal." Her tone was nearly bitter.

"A word first." Evandre nodded. "Clearly you must have expected the blow you received earlier for challenging me, so why the attitude?"

Evandre averted her gaze for a moment, "We were supposed to raid for mates tonight. I am at my peak and wish a child. Now I will have to wait another season before trying again since the raid is off due to your arrival."

Sam's expression softened. "I can understand that. And I am sorry that you have to wait."

"And how would you know how I feel?"

"Because I know what it's like to wait forever and constantly miss your chance at a family."

"You have no children?"

"No."

"But.." Evandre started looking at Sheppard but Sam cut her off.

"Dinner."

She had questions, but glancing at the hand device on Sam's hand she acquiesced, "Yes, Queen Samantha."

The whole 'queen' thing really bothered Sam, but considering the circumstances she didn't dare correct her. It was a lie by omission but she deemed it essential for their continued survival.

….

At dinner Vala relegated her tale of being stranded on an Ori home world, her pregnancy, and birth aboard an Ori ship.

"And how did you escape?" Asteria asked.

Vala actually smiled rather lovingly at Daniel who sat next to her. The table was close to the floor and they all lounged on soft cushions.

"Daniel." she said. "He rescued me."

Asteria's expression changed to one of understanding.

"Ah, I thought your ways were very strange for being of the ancient Ha-Mazan. But now I understand." "We too have the custom that if a man saves the life of a woman his life will be spared and allowed to become a lifelong mate should his warrior choose it. His life cannot be taken unless he breaks a law." "It is rare, but does happen." "However, even if the warrior chooses him as a lifelong mate, she may still take as many captured mates as she wishes. Captives are kept as long as the warrior is satisfied or with child. Then he may be released to his world or disposed of depending on how much he resisted."

"We're not so different then." Vala said nonchalantly. "Only we don't kill our men, we set them free. We call it divorce." Vala popped a grape in her mouth savoring it's flavor.

John checked a chuckle that threatened to escape. He and Daniel had been served a hearty stew, bread and water. The women had a full blown feast, but he was feeling lucky just to have been fed.

"Well now that we know more of these Ori let us move onto more pleasing subjects." Asteria was curious to know if Sam was still an active warrior. "Samantha, are you still active in battle?"

Sam set down the glass of wine she had been sipping. "Yes, very much so. We all are."

"I'd love to see a demonstration of your fighting style."

Sam smiled. "Well we don't do much hand to hand combat in the field. We use long range weapons, the _guns_ our men were carrying. I'd be glad to give you a demonstration in the morning."

"I look forward to it." Asteria stood and all guests stood with her. She approached Sam. "We should retire for the night don't you think?"

Asteria stood close to Sam, her amber eyes smoldering. The look on her face could only be called _seductive_. She reached up and with the backside of her calloused hands and traced a finger down Sam's face from her temple to her chin. She still wondered if these women were goddesses or not. Either way Samantha oozed strength and she craved to be in the arms of such power. "Care to accompany me?"

John felt helpless. He knew bailing her out would earn him a swift death. He was also sure Sam could take care of herself, but his brain still screamed at him to come to her rescue. Even though the amazonian Queen was offering pleasure, it still didn't mean she wouldn't be in danger.

Sam _did_ have everything under control. She swallowed hard and dipped into her reserves of confidence. This wasn't the first time she had been propositioned off world, or by someone in power, but it was the first time it was a _woman_.

Sam took a half step closer, they were inches apart now and Asteria's eyes burned with a mixture of awe, apprehension, desire.

"I'd love to." John choked and willed himself to keep control of the thoughts threatening to run rampant through his mind. The queen was gorgeous, and Sam was downright heavenly, and while he normally didn't spend a whole lot of time thinking about such things, he was after all, a guy. "But, I think we should get to know each other better first. I never kiss on a first date." Sam then took a half step back out of Asteria's immediate personal space and John relaxed.

"Very well." Asteria's voice betrayed a mixture of disappointment and relief. "Good night Samantha." Asteria turned and left.

…...

"Vala, You and Daniel head back to the room and get some rest. John and I are going to do some snooping around." Sam said handing her Zat to Sheppard. "Daniel, take first watch. I think most the women are scared enough after our demo with the hand devices not to try anything, but I don't want to take the chance."

Vala smiled and grabbed Daniel's hand to drag him off. Daniel just rolled his eyes.

Sam and John wandered corridors. They found the 'mens quarters' which looked more like a harem house. All the men wore collars, some had leashes to the wall like a dog. Neither John nor Sam could hide the looks of disgust on their faces over the treatment.

"We need to free these men," Sheppard whispered.

"While I agree, right now we cannot risk it." He nodded still irritated, but he knew she had a point. They were four and the women here would do _anything_ to get their hands on a few new _breeders_.

They heard footsteps approaching and fell back into the shadows. It wasn't enough to hide them for long, but gave the an extra second or two to see that it was an entire company of warriors, armed and on their way down the same hall. Both knew it wouldn't look good getting caught snooping around the men's quarters.

John raised the zat ready to open it, but Sam quickly took it from him, slid it in the holster on her thigh and pinned him to the wall. "Just go with it," she hissed moments before roughly kissing him.

He was momentarily stunned but didn't take long to recover and wrapped his arms around her, one hand in her hair, he quickly disheveled it making it look as if they had been at it a while now.

John lifted Sam up onto his hips and pressed her into the corner and his lips found her neck as the women caught sight of them.

"Are your quarters not to your liking?" said a voice they recognized as Evandre.

John stopped his kissing and just laid his head on her collarbone and breathed heavily.

Sam flashed them an amused smile, "They're fine."

"Well unless you care to see what these women are capable of when they're excited, you might want to take..uh... _this_, back there. It's customary to share, but you have already made it clear that you will not, so I ask you not to taunt us further and go back to your room."

Sam ran her hands through his hair and down his back. She planted one small kiss by his ear and whispered "let me down," and he did so.

He cast his gaze downward as Sam took his hand, smiled at the women and led him back the way they came. She walked slowly, almost seductively as if she was letting them know she was not bothered by the small altercation.

John was glad that casting his eyes to the floor wasn't out of place, he was a bit embarrassed and this was by far the _strangest_ mission he'd ever been on!

…...

Back in their suite they decided that Daniel would continued his watch then Vala and John last. Sam insisted on taking the third watch.

John was still trying to shake off the impromptu make out session in the hall. Even though he had an unsettled feeling in his stomach, he tried to act like nothing happened as it seemed to have not bothered Sam one bit.

"Toss me a blanket and pillow would ya?"

"Whatever for?" She looked at him genuinely baffled.

"Well I figured you being Queen and all," he smiled. Sam found herself more and more attracted to that smile, "I'd take the floor"

Sam smiled back. "This isn't the first time I've had to share a bed with a teammate John. We _are_ supposed to keep up the impression that you are my sex slave an all."

John had the decency to blush a little. "Yeah... well... after that little make out session in the hall, they should be convinced." Sam's face reddened.

'_At least she blushed_.' Maybe she wasn't as impervious as he thought.

A teasing thought hit him, "So what _are_ you wearing to bed then? Your not going to wear Amazonian leather are you?"

Sam was a step ahead of him. She reached into his pack on the bottom and pulled out a camisole tank and shorts. "Now turn around while I get changed."

He shook his head and did so wondering just when she had packed her stuff in his bag.

"Actually... I need help unlacing the ties in the back." She turned so her back was to him when he turned back around.

John stepped behind her and eyed over the laces. "How the hell did you get into this thing?"

"Vala and I helped each other."

"Ok, so where do I start?"

"The laces should be tucked into one side. You'll have to pull them out of their hidden pocket and untie the knot, unlace it, and I can take it from there."

It took John a few moments to find the 'hidden pocket' and laces, mostly because he couldn't help but admire the curve of her neck, the smell of her hair, or the heat radiating off her body and wondering how much of that _heat_ he was responsible for.

He finally got it unlaced and sat back to her on the bed.

She dressed and slid under the covers reveling in their comfort. "You coming to bed or do I need to make it an order?"

"No, it's just... a little awkward."

"You get used to it. And I promise I don't bite."

John slid in next to her. He rolled on his side and propped his head up an an elbow facing her.

"So, done this a bit?"

"More times than I can count by now, between situations similar to this, or circumstance. It's rare I get to make out with anyone," she said with eyes sparkling, she smirked when a fierce blush hit and his ears started to burn, "but sharing the same bed, happens every now and then, some places not so comfortable. Being flung out of the Stargate into a crevice of a glacier, with your teammate hurt and no way out being one of those 'not so comfortable' times. We had to sleep bundled up together for warmth."

"So, just another day at the office huh?"

"Pretty much."

John was far from tired. He knew he should get some sleep but figured a little idle chatter couldn't hurt. Maybe even help with the awkwardness he felt. "So you and Cassie, have some sort of physic connection?"

"No, why do you say that?"

"I noticed that when Cassie came home you got goosebumps and seemed to know she was around. Later on I noticed goosebumps whenever she'd enter the same room as you."

Sam's expression turned almost..._maternal_, "Do you know the story behind her coming to live on Earth?"

"No. I've read a lot of SGC reports but there are so many between all the teams and it's been a bit crazy on Atlantis..." 

She nodded and started her tale, "A Gould named Nerti used her as a Trojan horse." "She wiped everyone on her planet out with a plague, and we assumed we were responsible for it. She was the only survivor so we brought her to earth."

"Come to find out she had a device in her heart that contained naquadah and collected potassium from her blood to make a bomb strong enough to wipe out all of Colorado Springs. The trick to it was that when she got close to the gate she would explode."

His eyes widened and he swallowed a lump in his throat at the thought of the pretty redheaded young woman as a child with a bomb in her chest. The Gould were starting to make the Wraith seem a little more likable.

"We took her to an abandoned missile facility after she had lapsed into a coma." "She awoke while I was locking her into a chamber strong enough to contain the explosion. I..." She looked downward, out of sadness or fear of looking weak he couldn't' tell. "I couldn't leave her... I stayed behind so she wouldn't be alone." "I can't explain it but I _knew_ she would be ok and she was." "Her body absorbed the device and left traces of naquadah in her system. It makes her able to sense it."

"Well about a year later I was taken host by a Tok'ra symbiote. We had never encountered them before so everyone thought I was a Gould." "There was an assassin after Jolinar, my symbiote. He got to us while we were locked in the brig at the mountain." "We were seriously injured and dying. Jolinar gave up her life to save mine. She left behind a unique protein marker, traces of naquadah and memories of her life." Sam sighed. "Since then I have been able to sense the presence of a symbiote in another or naquadah in general. Since Cassie has it in her system... I can sense her when she gets close." "It also enables me to operate Gould technology such as the ribbon device. Vala was host to a Gould until she was freed by the Tok'ra. She has better control over it than I do, probably because she had been blended for many years rather than a couple days."

John didn't know what to say but tried to lighten the mood a little.

"I once had the life sucked out of me by a wraith and returned.." His look made her laugh. "Oh and I started turning into a bug... But that's about all that's happened to me other than the typical bumps, bruises, concussions and broken bones all in the line of duty." "You, well you've had so much happen to you!"

"Don't jinx yourself John." Her looked was serious, "You've only been at this three years not ten." "Five years in Daniel _died_ and ascended. We were without him a year before he was banished back to the land of the living for helping us out."

"Really?"

Sam yawned, "Yeah, but I'll have to tell you all about it another time. Right now I need some sleep and so do you."

Just rolling over and shutting off the light didn't quite feel right. He leaned over and gave her a small peck on the forehead. "Goodnight Sam."

She smiled back. "Good night John."

She rolled over and he blew out the lantern.

….

Sam had over an hour of her watch left and she was getting pretty sleepy.

The bathing pool was looking rather inviting. It was a warm night and she could use a dip to wake up. They had been uninterrupted thus far and as long as she kept a weapon close she didn't see the harm.

She stripped off and slipped into the cool water stifling a yelp as it came as a mini shock to her system. The cool water felt divine!

Sam had soaked for about 15 minutes. She decided not to press her luck any longer and dunked under for one final refreshing burst, she stayed underwater holding her breath enjoying the cool comfort that surrounded her.

It was then that John silently slid through the door. He couldn't sleep any longer so decided to relieve Sam early. He figured she'd appreciate the extra rest.

He panicked when he didn't see her in the lounge room anywhere upon quick glance.

The sound of a Zat clicking open made him freeze in his tracks and hold up his arms. "It's just me Sam."

"John? What are you doing up?" The zat clicked closed ad he turned around. It took a moment for him to notice her hanging onto the edge of the pool with water droplets tracing their way down her face.

"I came to relieve you. I couldn't sleep anymore. I guess I'm still used to Atlantis time. So I figured you'd enjoy some extra sleep. I didn't realize you were taking a bath!" He hissed quietly.

Sam rested the side of her head on her arm. She knew that from the angle and her position in the water the only thing he could see was her head and arms. "I was falling asleep and decided that a cool dip would be refreshing."

"That sounds like a good idea actually."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him which he could actually make out in the moon light. "Don't even think about it until I'm out of here. Hand me that towel."

He smiled deviously but did as he was told. He looked away as he neared the pool and held the towel out. He could hear the sloshing of water as she stepped out and felt the towel yank out of his hands.

"Alright, if you want a dip I can sit over there and keep watch, just in case."

"Sounds great."

Sam dressed then sat in a chaise facing the opposite way of the pool. John took about 10 minutes, then dried, dressed and came to sit in the chaise next to her.

They softly chatted through his whole watch. The bath having invigorated them both.

They were both excited about having someone they could talk to outside of their team and swap stories with. They had an endless supply of topics and didn't have to worry about security clearance.

The first rays of sun trickled through the windows.

Sam stood and stretched. "I suppose I better wake Vala." "I'll need her help getting into that outfit and she'll need mine."

She opened the doors to Daniel and Vala's room to find them cuddled soundly in sleep. Daniel still wore a tee shirt and most likely boxers, but Vala's bare shoulders suggested when was without apparel under the sheets. Daniels arm was wrapped around her waist as he held her close.

"uhhh... You don't think?" John whispered.

Sam giggled and whispered back, "I doubt it. It's not the first time they've been found like this, in fact we're all just _waiting_ for them to hook up. We all have bets on it too."

"How will you know who won?"

"Do you really think Vala would be able to keep it to herself for even an hour?" He shook his head no. "Besides, I _know_ Daniel and trust me, I would be able to tell. He does care for her though."

John just gave her a little smile and she stepped into the room. "Alright sun-shines, get your butts out of bed!"

"You better have food and coffee." Daniel grumbled.

Sam just giggled.

Vala stretched then sat up, having at least enough decency to hold onto the sheet as she did so. "Really Samantha, you know what a bear Daniel is before his coffee." "Maybe he wouldn't be so grumpy if he'd get laid every once in a while."

Daniel pulled his pillow put from under his head and lazily hit her with it. Both women broke out into fits of laughter. John just smiled and yet again shook his head at them. '_At lest they know how to have fun no matter what the circumstances.'_

…...

…...

The morning brought word that a Prior had arrived and proclaimed that the Orici would be there in two days time.

Begging the need to share this information with their allies and decide what to do, SG1 bid farewell to the Ha-Mazan.

Sam stood before Queen Asteria, "There's a group of warriors I'd like you to meet, their leader is a friend of mine, Ishta of the Free Jaffa. She is the leader of a large band of warriors. She could be instrumental in helping us fight off Ori forces if it is your plan to denounce Origin."

They started to walk in the grassy plain before the Stargate.

"It is, and I would like to meet this Ishta." "I have heard many stories of the Jaffa but none of them any good and none of them women." "Yet, if you say that these warriors are allies of yours, I would be willing to meet them."

Sam considered her next statement a moment before speaking.

"When we return, we _may_ have different men with us, _warriors_ that will aid us. I need assurances that they will not be harmed or taken."

Asteria did not look pleased. "It is truly necessary?"

"Yes. Not all of our allies are female warriors. We have many friends from many worlds. Most of them are patriarchal societies." "Now, I know it's unsettling, and I promise I will not bring them unless necessary and then only keep them as long as needed."

"I will inform my warriors. None dare challenge my word, not even Evandre. But I warn you, they will not like it, so I urge you to use prudence when choosing your entourage."

"Thank you. I expect we will be seeing you soon."

Asteria smiled and winked, "I look forward to it!"

Sam chuckled and shook her head a bit before rejoining her friends.

At the gate Vala teased Sam, "It looks like Daniel's not the only who will have a girl on every planet."

Same gave her a small shove then entered Earth's address on the DHD.

…...

Back on Earth they prepared a plan to capture Adria. It was Mitchell's idea really. He was now recovered from his ordeal and ready to participate in the next mission. He joked that he couldn't pass up an opportunity to visit a planet of warrior women in need of men.

…

They were in the cafeteria enlightening Cam on everything that had happened when alarms sounded and Walter's voice rang over the intercom. "Unscheduled off-world activation."

It was Atlantis.

John was with SG-1 in the control room when Elizabeth's face came across the video link.

Upon seeing Sheppard, Elizabeth's eyes shone and her smile dazzled. "John! I thought you were supposed to be on vacation?" She said accusingly.

He smiled just as brilliantly back and Sam felt a momentary twinge of jealousy before reminding herself of their conversation on Da'Kara. John had become a good friend in the few short weeks he had been with them, but he was just that, a _friend, _and it was never more apparent than in the smiles of the Commander of Atlantis and her 2IC.

"Off course I am. What's more relaxing than watching SG1 at work?" He glanced at Sam, "Or should I say entertaining?" Sam shot him the stink eye and he chuckled.

"Well, I'm sorry to cut your entertainment short, but we need you back here. Something's come up."

John's expression turned serious. "I'll be on my way."

"I'll see you soon then."

Before the video link cut off McKay's face appeared ever briefly but enough to yell "Hey and bring pizza!"

Both Sam and John laughed. "Got the number for the local Domino's?"

…...

John and Sam stood together in the gateroom as they dialed Atlantis, a stack of pizza on the floor next to his bag.

"Thanks a lot for the R&R Sam."

"You have a very twisted sense of R&R, have I ever told you that?

"Maybe once or twice."

Sam shook her head and smiled. "Well if you are ever Earth side again and want any more crazy experiences to add to your resume, or a bike ride, just give me ring."

"Oh I will, you can count on it."

She gave him a tight hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. He picked up his bag and the pizza, flashed her a smile and walked up the ramp and through the blue puddle to Atlantis.

John was equally eager to get back and see Elizabeth as he was sad to leave Sam and the adventures of the milky way.

Then Elizabeth's bright smile met him and his thoughts returned to the task at hand, but the downtime would simmer in the back of his memory to surface another time.

…...

…...

Sam stands starring at the gate for a few moments after John's departure.

She sensed his approach as he came to stand behind her hovering over one shoulder.

"He would be good for you, you know?"

"I know."

"No regulations to break, you're the same rank and in different commands."

"I know..." "But, I think he's about to jump off a particular bridge that you and I never dared." She looked at him and that haunted look, unique to them, graced both their visages.

"Oh."

~Fin~

**A/N: Look for a new fic titled E-Mails from Pegasus, a sequel to this fic. May be a week or so before I upload any of it. I have a ton of homework to do and clinicals.**


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